


The First Fall

by TheVampireLucinda



Category: Professional Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Angst, Emotions, Encouragement, Fighting Spirit, Golden Lovers, Inner Critic, Kota is a great boyfriend, Love, M/M, They Earned All 7 Stars, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 03:31:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15234381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheVampireLucinda/pseuds/TheVampireLucinda
Summary: And I swear, if you fall, I'll be here to catch you.





	The First Fall

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Was re-watching that amazing match, and so much happened during each of the falls!! Seriously, from bell to bell, before and after, the Dominion match was the best I've ever seen in my life. Here's my take on the short-but-effective talk they had in between the first and second falls. If anyone would like to write whatever the hell Kota said to get Kenny to try the Phoenix Splash, I'd appreciate it, LOL.

“One...Two...Three!”

The audience gasped in what could only be described as horror and dismay as Kenny Omega rolled off to the side, clutching his hair in shock and denial.

He was in the midst of a No Time Limit, Two-out-of-Three Falls match on the grand stage at _Dominion_. In the weeks leading up to this bout, Kenny had one goal—to win the first fall. He knew that if he could just get that first pin on Okada, he could without fail win the whole match. He trained with that singular goal in his mind, pushing himself hard so that he could put Kazuchika Okada down before too much time had passed, and both of them became too exhausted or too hurt to continue.

But the IWGP Heavyweight Champion had a plan as well, it seemed. The moment an opening presented itself, in very Okada fashion, he _took_ it. Simply by sitting down on Kenny's chest as the smaller man attempted a move, and locking the blond's legs with his arms, Okada was able to get the first fall about 30 minutes into the match.

The official announcement came over the PA system like an executioner's song:

“The winner of the first fall: Okada Kazuchika. The match will resume in 2 minutes.”

Kenny was devastated.

As the audience fell almost silent, his soft gasps and near-sobs could be over the quiet din of their nervous murmurs.

The Best Bout Machine felt utterly defeated as he leaned on the bottom rope, sweat pouring from his forehead, and tears squeezing from his underneath his closed eyelids.

“I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up,” he said, over and over again, nearly sinking to the mat as the fragile confidence he'd brought into this match crumbled to dust. “Fuck. Fuck! _Fuck_!”

Kenny could feel the weight of it all beginning to crush him; and he knew, somewhere in his mind, that time was passing, and that the match had to begin again; but he simply couldn't muster the resolve to continue.

One glance at Okada was all that he needed to know for certain that this match was already over. Every negative voice in his head began to scream at him.

But, for the first time in a long time, Kenny Omega wasn't alone with those voices.

Kota Ibushi was at his side in an instant, placing a strong hand on the side of Kenny's head, letting his fingers tangle lightly in the yellow curls as he lifted the man's tear-and-sweat streaked face.

“Are you okay?” he asked, a perfect picture of calm compared to Omega's frantic mumbling. “Kenny?”

Receiving no response, he carefully helped Kenny to stand; and the man almost immediately melted into his arms, shaking his head in denial as they fell backwards into the corner turnbuckle. Omega gripped Kota's arms, holding on to him as though the Golden Star was his only lifeline.

And maybe, in fact, he was.

“I can't, I can't, I can't...Stupid, fucking _stupid_...”

Kota could _feel_ the waves of panic coming off of the man he loved as he berated himself; and with grim determination, he placed both hands on Kenny's shoulders, trying to steady him. He even pulled Omega again his chest, trying with all of his heart to impart some measure of inner strength to the panicking _gaijin_.

“Kenny. Kenny! _Kenny_!”

The Golden Star knew that he had to get through to him. Kenny was only a few breaths away from _really_ freaking out, and the match was going to restart in less than a minute.

If Kenny's mind and heart were out of the game, there was no way he could win, no matter how prepared his body was. It was something that had worried Kota during their training, as Kenny pushed himself to his physical limits.

_But are you really ready?_ Kota had asked, concerned as he saw the tension that seemed to be ever-present in Kenny's shoulders since Okada had challenged him.

The blond have given Kota the best smile he could at the time.

_I'm as ready as I'll ever be. My body feels great right now, so I think I can take even him._

_You're stronger, and faster, yes...But how is your_ heart _, Kenny?_

The look he gave Kota that day gave the man chills to remember. It was the same look that he had in his eyes when they first met in person, as they stared at one another across the ring.

_I...I don't know about my heart. I know that I'm still weak in spirit. I only know that I have you._

Kenny slumped until he was sitting down on the bottom turnbuckle, no longer muttering to himself, but still shaking his head. Kota placed a hand on his knee as they, in unison, looked over at Okada on the other side of the ring.

The golden champion had already collected himself, and was standing comfortably against the ropes. He poured some water over his head, drank a few gulps, and inhaled deeply. Almost unbidden, a smile began to form on his face, and his brown eyes, as they often did, drifted over towards Kenny Omega.

The former Cleaner froze, blue eyes going wide as his gaze was almost trapped by the Rainmaker's.

But ever-wise Kota saw exactly what was happening, and knelt right between Kenny's legs, blocking the _gaijin's_ view of Okada.

Now, the only one trapping Kenny's eyes was _Kota Ibushi_ , the man who helped him to get this far in the first place. The man he could never, truly, look away from (nor wanted to).

The man he loved more than anything else, even more than the title and glory he now fought for.

“Kenny, listen to me. I want you to listen to me, _now_.” Kota's voice was still low and gentle, but firm and insistent, at last grabbing Kenny's full attention.

“You got pinned. It happened. Now you need to focus on the next fall, okay? Just the next fall.”

Ibushi could see those blue eyes wandering, so he put his hands on Kenny's knees, squeezing just enough to draw the attention back to him.

“Kenny...don't lose hope. You can win. You _will_ win. You've trained for this, and you're ready. Don't think about what just happened. Don't think about the past. Look towards the future. I'm here.”

Kenny blinked at that, finally able to exhale, as he felt his body begin to relax somewhat. Kota was always mysterious in a way, but was always an open book when it came to how he felt. He, too, was anxious, and worried; but it was also clear that he had full confidence in Kenny...even _after_ losing the first fall.

Kenny felt his heart constrict. Looking at Kota, hearing his words of encouragement, feeling that hand on his shoulder, and then on his leg...

_I don't deserve you_ , he wanted to say for what had to be the thousandth time since they were reunited. But he knew what Kota would say to that; in fact, that wonderful man had already said it.

_Don't think about the past; look towards the future._

_I'm here._

“Yes,” he answered, at last responding verbally to Kota's words. “Yes, you're right.”

The Golden Star's lips quirked in the smallest of smiles at that, and suddenly Kenny felt like he could do anything in the whole damn world.

“Okay?” Kota was asking, still concerned, but no longer anxious. Kenny nodded slowly.

“Okay. I'm okay.”

Slowly, with Ibushi's help, he began to sit up, and then stand. A flicker of _something_ lit Kota's eyes, and it made Kenny's heart race.

“Good. You've got this. I love you. Now, focus. And win.”

Kenny couldn't smile—not yet, not with things so dire—but he felt the fire in his heart return. He looked at Okada, at his million dollar smirk, and didn't feel a hint of fear. He wasn't even angry.

Resolve had replaced his worries.

_I must win!_

Everyone except the two competitors began to clear out of the ring as the rest-time expired. Kenny spared one last look at Kota. The Golden Star looked as determined as Kenny felt, if not more so.

_Don't think about the past; look towards the future._

At the sound of the bell, Kenny Omega stood straight, faced forward, and charged.

_I'm here._

 


End file.
